


Bash

by moongay



Category: Glee
Genre: 5x15, Canon Compliant, M/M, POV Outsider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:41:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28385676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moongay/pseuds/moongay
Summary: Paramedics arrive on scene after Kurt's assault in Bash.
Relationships: Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel
Comments: 3
Kudos: 39





	Bash

**Author's Note:**

> Warning for: Discussion of gay bashing, mention of blood, mention of vomiting, description of medical procedures.
> 
> Wrote this based on my experience working as a paramedic in the UK. Apologies for any inaccuracies about the US ambulance service/US medical jargon.

James and Lisa were an hour into their night shift, the ambulance parked up on Bushwick Avenue. They sat in comfortable silence, watching the buzz of activity around them: families out walking, cabs blaring their horns, and groups of friends dressed up for an evening out in the city. They were in for a busy night.

“Did I tell you?” James asked. “I think Paul is planning something for our anniversary.”

“Go on.” Lisa said.

“Well, I’m just speculating. But he keeps asking me really specific questions about my rota. Like, he never pays this much attention to my shifts.”

“A vacation?” Lisa suggested.

James grinned. “Maybe.”

“Oh, you lucky fucker.” Lisa said, batting James playfully on the arm. “I consider it a win if my husband _remembers_ our anniversary.” She rolled her eyes. James chuckled.

“Do you think - “ But James’ question was cut off by their radio alarming with a call.

“Here we go.” Lisa said, starting the ignition. “What we got, captain?”

“20 year old male. Unconscious, bleeding.” James read. “Just a couple of blocks away.”

“Oh, shit.”

Lisa turned on the blue lights and pushed their way onto the busy avenue.

***

They pulled up on scene - an alley in a less favorable neighbourhood of Bushwick. Stepping out onto the sidewalk they were met with the smell of cigarette smoke, alcohol, and blood. The patient, a young male, was on the floor in the recovery position. He was lying in a pool of blood, staining his coat and hair a deep red. A middle-aged woman stood by him, a look of immediate relief on her face on seeing the ambulance arrive.

“Hey. What’s your name?” He said to the woman, whilst crouching down by the motionless boy on the floor. He grabbed his wrist to feel for his pulse, which was strong.

“Andrea.”

“Hi Andrea. I’m James and that’s Lisa.” He said, gesturing towards where Lisa was still grabbing equipment from the back of the ambulance. “What’s happened tonight?”

“I have no clue. I was walking over to meet a friend and I heard shouting. Didn’t think anything of it - not at this time of night.” Andrea said. “Walked by the alley, and he was just lying here. Is he gonna be okay?”

“We’re going to look after him.” James reassured.

The patient looked to be in his late teens or early twenties, and had multiple wounds to the head and face. “Looks like an assault. Did you see anyone?” James asked.

“No. He was on his own.”

“Lisa, can you get the cops running please?” James called to his crew mate.

“On it.” Lisa called back.

James squeezed the boy’s shoulder. No response. “Hello? Hello? It’s the ambulance service. Can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?” Trapezius squeeze. No response. “Let’s get some vitals going.” James said to Lisa, now approaching carrying their equipment. “I’ll try and get some more history.” James stood up to speak to Andrea, leaving Lisa to take over.

“Hi sweetie. My name's Lisa. I’m just going to do your blood pressure and a few other checks.” She said. “I’m going to have to cut your jacket and shirt to get to your arm, I’m sorry.” She deftly got the patient hooked up to the LifePak and took his temperature and blood sugar reading. Shining her pen torch to check his pupils, she could see the extent of the wounds and swelling on his face. “Oh, you poor thing.”

“I’m gonna look for some ID.” James said, crouching back down beside her. He rooted through the patient’s pockets looking for a bank card, driving license, student card, anything that might identify him. He found his iPhone in his coat pocket. Unlocking it, the home screen was a photo of the patient with another boy about his age. They were standing close, their cheeks pressed together. His boyfriend, he realised.

James felt a sickening feeling washing over him. He and Lisa had attended two incidents of gay bashing this month alone. Was this boy another victim of such a crime?

“Okay?” Lisa asked. James often joked that Lisa had a fifth sense for what he was feeling; a product of having spent so much time working together. He was so grateful to have a crew mate who looked out for him, especially with some of their recent jobs hitting extremely close to home.

“Yeah. Yeah.” James said. Emotions aside, they had a job to do. He put the phone back in his coat, and continued searching. In the patient’s pants pocket he found his wallet, and pulled out a bank card. “Ah. Kurt Hummel.” He read out to Lisa. “Nothing with date of birth though.”

“Kurt. Kurt? Can you hear me?” Lisa said, squeezing the boy’s shoulder again. No response.

“How are vitals looking?” James turned the LifePak to inspect the numbers on the screen.

“Vitals look okay, but I’ve got him at GCS 3.” Lisa said. “Pupils equal, size 3, a bit sluggish.”

“Okay. Let’s just get a neck collar on him and get him loaded.”

***

Once on the ambulance, Lisa and James were dancing around the patient reconnecting him to the LifePak, getting his wounds cleaned and dressed, and warming him up with plenty of blankets. Police had arrived and were outside taking details from Andrea and photographing the scene.

“I think I’ll give him a dose of Ondansetron, just in case he starts vomiting on route. Can you pass me a cannulation pack please?” James asked, and Lisa fished in the drawer for the small plastic packet, handing it to her crew mate. James tied the tourniquet around the boy’s bicep. He was clearly very fit and healthy and James had no trouble finding a vein.

“I’ll try a green please.” Lisa passed him the needle. He prepped the skin and easily inserted the cannula.

“Flush. And your Ondansetron for when you’re ready.” Lisa said, passing over the two filled syringes. “Ampoule is in the bowl.”

“Thanks.”

“Need anything else?” Lisa asked.

“No, let’s just get going.” James flushed the cannula, before inserting the smaller syringe to start administering the drug. He looked up at his crew mate, teasing. “Nice _smooth_ blue light drive please.”

“For you, _always_.” Lisa smiled. “See ya there.”

She slammed the door, and James heard her talking briefly to the cops outside. He pulled out his phone, and dialled the familiar number.

A doctor with a heavy accent answered the phone. “Hello, ER.”

“Hi, please can I pass a pre-alert?”

***

Kurt remained stable on the journey, so James took the opportunity to write some paperwork before they arrived at the hospital. He tapped away on his tablet whilst keeping a close eye on his vitals on the LifePak screen. Suddenly, he heard a voice.

“Blaine.” It was just a mumble - it could barely be heard over the sound of the engine and the sirens.

“Kurt? Kurt, can you hear me?” James said, leaning forward to squeeze his shoulder. Kurt responded by opening his eyes.

“Blaine?” He said. “Where’s Blaine?”

“My name is James. You’re in the ambulance.” Kurt eyes darted around, taking in his surroundings.

“Are you in pain?” James asked. No response.

“Do you feel sick?” He asked. No response.

“I need to see Blaine.” Kurt whimpered. He was getting distressed - reaching up to tug at the neck collar and the straps securing him to the stretcher.

“It’s okay, Kurt. Just try and stay still.” He said, holding his right arm steady so he wouldn’t pull the cannula out.

“My head.” Kurt groaned, squeezing his eyes shut.

“I know, buddy.” James took his hand. “We’re almost at the hospital.”

***

An elderly woman who had fallen in the park later, and James and Lisa were back at the hospital. After handing over, they had some time before clearing for their next call, and James wanted to check up on Kurt. He scanned the ER board to locate him.

Approaching the window of his room, he saw that Kurt wasn’t alone. A boy was lying on the bed with him, his arm draped over his chest and his face buried in his neck. The boy from his phone home screen, James realised. James tapped lightly on the door and the boy startled, sitting up. He was petite with dark, slicked back hair and an outfit straight out of a Brooks Brothers catalogue. He looked physically and emotionally exhausted.

“Sorry to disturb.” James said, stepping into the small room. “I’m the paramedic who brought him in, and I just wondered how he was doing.”

“I’m Blaine. I’m his fiancé.” The boy said, standing up to shake his hand.

“James.”

“Uh, he’s fractured his eye socket and has lots of bruising, but his scans were clear.” Blaine said. “No…uh, no bleed.”

“He’s very lucky.”

“Yeah. He is.” Blaine smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“Do you know what -"

“He was protecting someone. Apparently a gay guy was being beaten up and Kurt just ran in.” Blaine shook his head. “Why would he do that? Put himself in so much danger.”

“Wouldn’t you have done the same? I know I would.”

“I just wish I had been there to protect him, to stop him getting hurt. I _should_ have been there.” Blaine broke down then; his face falling into his hands, his body shaking with his sobs.

“Hey no, you can’t think like that.” James moved closer to the boy, placing a comforting hand around his shoulder. “You don’t think my husband worries sick every time I’m out at work? That I don’t think about him constantly when he’s out alone? But if we stop going out and living our lives - they win.”

“I just thought being in New York that we were getting away from this kind of thing. That we’d be safe.” Blaine sobbed.

“I know. We always think the big city will be perfect and easy for us. That’s what makes this so scary. But, and look at me Blaine.” James said, his hands on the boy’s shoulders. Blaine looked up at him, sniffing. “Hearts and minds are changing everyday. You think when I met my husband that I ever though we would be able to get _married_? Things will get better, Blaine. I promise.”

Blaine gave him a watery smile. “Thank you. And thank you so much for looking after him.”

“No problem.” James said. “I hope he makes a good recovery.”

Kurt stirred in his sleep, mumbling. Blaine was back by his side immediately, gripping his hand tightly. “Kurt? I’m right here baby.”

Blaine looked at Kurt with a tenderness that felt almost private. James took his cue to leave, slipping out of the room. Before walking away, he looked back through the window at the couple; Blaine was lying pressed up against Kurt on the bed, their hands entwined. They would be okay, James thought.

***

James climbed into the drivers seat of the ambulance.

“How was he doing?” Lisa asked.

“No serious damage, just a small fracture and bruising.” James said. “His fiancé was pretty shaken up.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” James gave her a reassuring smile. “Just, it sucks. I never thought I’d see these sort of crimes happening in New York of all places.”

“It’s awful.” Lisa shook her head. “Hey. If you ever need to talk about it - you know where I am.”

“I know. Thanks.” James smiled.

“Now, come on.” Lisa said, handing him the keys. “We probably have time to hit up Starbucks before clearing up. I’ll buy.”


End file.
